1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cartridge type hard disk drive (hereinafter referred to as cartridge type HDD) which substitutes for a function of a built-in HDD for the purpose of security protection of information stored in the built-in HDD and an image forming apparatus in which the cartridge type HDD is mounted.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently the image forming apparatus is made multifunctional, and the image forming apparatus has the functions of a facsimile, a printer, and a copying machine. Further, the same kinds or the different kinds of pieces of image forming apparatus are connected through a network such as LAN to print image information inputted and outputted, and the image forming apparatus is used as a reading terminal of the image information. The multifunctionalization of the image forming apparatus is dealt with by upgrading storage means such as RAM until now. However, because the storage capacity which can deal with the multifunctionalization has a limitation, an on-board mounted large-capacity built-in HDD is used as a storage medium. Access information by write signal and a read signal, main firmware information for controlling the apparatus, machine state information, and maintenance status information are stored in the built-in HDD.
From a viewpoint of information protection that leakage and theft of the important security information stored in the built-in HDD are prevented, in some countries such as the United State, a model of the image forming apparatus is regulated. That is, that the apparatus has a function of detaching the built-in HDD, in which the security information is stored, from the apparatus main body to be able to store the built-in HDD during non-working hours is defined as the condition in introducing the apparatus.
According to the situation described above, the image forming apparatus is put into practical use, in which the information stored in the built-in HDD on-board mounted on the image forming apparatus main body is moved and stored in the cartridge type HDD and then the cartridge type HDD is detached and stored to prohibit operation of the built-in HDD during detaching the cartridge type HDD from the image forming apparatus. Usually the cartridge type HDD is unitized by housing the cartridge type HDD in a case, and the cartridge type HDD unit is mounted on the outside of the image forming apparatus while being detachably attachable to the image forming apparatus (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-311760).
In some of the cartridge type HDD units, a PC slot is provided such that the 3.5-inch type cartridge type HDD can normally be attached to HDD having the 5-inch type storage medium. In some of the cartridge type HDD units, an attachment is provided inside a unit case such that the 2.5-inch type cartridge type HDD can be attached. In these cartridge type HDD units, a rotary shatter cover is provided in a front portion of the unit case, and the cartridge type HDD is detachably attachable by pressing and opening the shutter cover. Connectors for IDE cable connection and power connection are provided in a deep portion inside the unit case to bring the cartridge type HDD into an electrical conduction state.
Usually the cartridge type HDD unit is attached to the image forming apparatus in the following way. An opening of the unit case is fixedly provided in a back plate panel of an exterior cover rear portion of the image forming apparatus while orientated upward in a vertical direction. In attaching and detaching the HDD main body, a user grasps the HDD main body to insert the HDD main body into the unit case from the opening such that the HDD main body falls into the unit case. A considerably large window is provided in the back plate panel of the exterior cover in which the unit case is provided, and a power cable of the cartridge type HDD unit and the like are drawn into the image forming apparatus from the window and connected to an electric component unit of the main body.
When the cartridge type HDD main body is attached into and detached from the unit case mounted on the exterior cover of the image forming apparatus, sometimes the user or a maintenance person carelessly causes the following troubles.
One of the troubles is derived from a problem with a position of the unit case mounted on the side plate panel in the exterior cover rear portion of the image forming apparatus. In attaching and detaching the cartridge type HDD main body, the operator face a front face of the image forming apparatus while grasping the cartridge type HDD main body. Then, the operator extends operator's arm to the back plate panel in the exterior cover rear portion which is not clearly viewed by an uncomfortable attitude, and the operator tries to insert the cartridge type HDD main body into the unit case from the upper side. In this case, there is a possibility that the operator causes the cartridge type HDD main body to fall due to the operation by the uncomfortable attitude to lead to cartridge type HDD main body breakage and storage data loss.
Another trouble is a possibility that the storage data is broken when the image forming apparatus main body improperly receives a signal in attaching and detaching the cartridge type HDD main body. The above problems are attributed to the fact that a fail-safe countermeasure for prohibiting the careless attachment and detachment of the cartridge type HDD main body is not taken in receiving the various signals in the image forming apparatus.